Did a race with a friend of mine who is deciding between the new M3 or an E39 M5 who currently owns a 2000 Audi S4 6 spd.
The S4 had been chipped and according to him, is able to lead a stock S4 by 1 car's length.
On straight line acceleration:
I can't pass him.
We switched cars, he can't pass me.
On both occasions, we pretty much went side by side with the M5 leading no more than 7 inches.
On cornering, both Quattro and DSC do their magics and we are heads to heads again.
Maybe we are both bad drivers for the E39 M5 but I was totally impressed with the chipped S4's acceleration!!
When I am driving his car, I found the transmission of an S4 more tolerating that that of an M5. It's not that the M5 is a hard to drive car at all, but to do the right start, takes a bit of practice.
Anyone out there able to pass an S4 with flying colors??
If so, I think I gotta register my driving classes in the upcoming semester!
For your information, I do own both the S4 and the M5. And there is an S4 fan club out there already filled with people who don't appreciate any other cars but their own, QUITE LIKE YOURSELF, BLUE MAX.
The topic was posted to share my current race experience and to check my driving skills to see if I was doing such a bad job or not.
Now that if S4 pisses you off so much, then why bother reading the message in the first place. IN CASE YOU CAN'T READ, it says "2000 Audi S4" on the message Subject.
On a twisty road, I can drive the S4 faster than any other car I have tried. That includes a Carerra 2 (but not a 4). But the M5 is so much more nicer to be in and not that much slower, for me at least. I am average size (6', 170lbs) and found the S4 to actually be quite uncomfortable compared to the 996 or the E39. During my testing the brakes of the S4 where also not as predictable and easy to use as the M5's. Just my opinion and specific to the vehicles I tested. M5 on order - week 28 build.
The S4 is considerably lighter, and I suspect (though I don't know) geared lower. So I'm not surprised that street-start acceleration is similar. I wonder though if you both accelerate from say, 80mph to 150mph, how the two cars would fare. My guess is that the M5 would take the chipped S4 here.
Please do that and get back to us.
By the way, I like cars. Lots of them. Just because I choose to drive an M5, that doesn't mean I think S4's are not worthy. But I do think it is silly to compare performance of a stock M5 to a modified (chipped) car. Will Audi warranty the car after the chip has doubled the designed-for boost? Hell - you can after-market modify just about anything until it runs 6-second quarters - all it takes is money. (And that 600hp Dinan M5 sounds pretty good too.....)
It was 6:00pm yesterday we did the "race", not enough room in traffic for us to really go fast.
My friend there is a father of 3 and a faithful husband, I doubt he will take the challenge of 150mph. I will see if he fancy 80-150km/h though If it ever happens, instead of posting this in E39 Discussion, I will put it in the Race section so I won't get flames/thumbs down from anti-S4'ists.
Anyway, since this is the first real world comparison we've heard of and even more interesting since the two of you guys switched cars.
But try to do this race between zero and say 150 mph if you find the opportunity. Then I'll promise you the results will be different. Also, switch off the DSC on the M5. The S4 have better grip thanks to its 4WD, and that's why it's equivalent to the DSC not is so intrusive as the M5.
Also I can say I raced against a S4 Avant with a Euro M3 (286 hp) and was even from 100 km/h up to 200 km/h. After that the M3 gained fast and I passed him at around 220 km/h. But of course that S4 wasn't chipped.
I have huge respect for S4's. I almost buckled and bought one while I still had my GS400...I ultimately opted for the Big Dog.
Test drove one though...
The S4's engine sounds like sex, the interior is nice, the brakes have awesome pedal feel...plus I know how easy they are to tune (case in point at this string)...
The only thing that kept me from buying one was that the shifter felt like a plunger in a toilet.
Couldn't have put it better alpywhite
I was trying to come up with phrases to mock the S4's stick but boy, yours tops it all
But then again, a short shift kit shouldn't cost too much though.
Gustav,
I will try to find a chance to do some serious high speed with my own S4 (my friend had declined the challenge as I think he is trying to keep the good memory of being heads to heads with an M5) which is a stock tiptronics.
brianC, out of curiousity do you know which chip manufacturer is in your friends S4. I too have an APR chipped 6 speed S4 and the car pulls very nicely. As far as the shifter i installed a short shifter from uuc. It is made better than the original shifter and feels better, but it still does not compare to the feel of the M5 or regular 3 series for that matter.
E39 M5 vs 2000 Audi S4
mm.....
If it ever happens, instead of posting this in E39 Discussion, I will put it in the Race section so I won't get flames/thumbs down from anti-S4'ists.
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